


backs against the wind

by extremelyquestionable (TechnicalTragedy)



Category: The Derp Crew (Youtube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Blood, Character Death, Enemies to Friends, Friends to Enemies, Gen, Happy Ending, Villains, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-15
Updated: 2015-06-15
Packaged: 2018-04-04 12:14:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4137096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TechnicalTragedy/pseuds/extremelyquestionable
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The future was never meant to turn out this way, with Anthony on the wrong side of the line between good and bad. Maybe the line is thinner than everyone thinks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	backs against the wind

**Author's Note:**

> listen to the companion mix "capes fluttering in the breeze" [on 8tracks](http://8tracks.com/technicaltragedy/capes-fluttering-in-the-breeze)!

“Are you coming or what?” Steven called to Anthony.

Fifteen-year-old Anthony grinned at him. “What if I don’t want to go?”

Steven rolled his eyes. “It’s our first day at the training facility, doofus. We’ve been waiting forever for this.”

Anthony got to his feet. He imagined himself and Steven, side by side, capes flowing in the wind. They could be heroes together. They could be like his Anthony’s dad and his partner. Superheroes.

The future was exciting, and all Anthony knew was that he wanted to spend his future with his best friend.

 

\- - -

 

“You still think you have a chance, huh?” Chilled Chaos says, and Viking isn’t sure where his voice is coming from, but he pauses. “I mean, damn. Most people would’ve given up by now. I’ve gotta give you props for the effort you’ve put into this.”

Viking bares his teeth, and hears Chilled Chaos laugh.

“Oh, that’s cute. I’m so scared, really. In fact, I’m so utterly terrified I’m just going to let you go,” he says, and Viking blinks in surprise, his snarl falling away. Chilled Chaos cackles, “You should see the look on your face. You didn’t think I was actually going to let you go, did you?”

Rolling his eyes, Viking concentrates again on casting out his powers, trying to find anything metallic in his vicinity. Frustratingly, he’s stopped again by whatever material his cell is made from. It must have some kind of power-dampening ability, since he can’t feel anything outside it. It look like Viking will have to depend on Smarticus to save him.

Chilled Chaos laughs again, quieter, and then Viking can hear him walk away. It goes completely dark, and it make Viking wonder how there’d even been light to begin with.

There’s no light, no sound, and no hope. Viking is left with only his thoughts.

 

\- - -

 

Steven Zeigler’s powers manifested at his fifth birthday party, when his mother had tried to feed him a bite of the cake he didn’t want and the fork had ended up wrapped around her hand. The doctors at the hospital had been baffled and Steven had cried until his mom emerged, sans fork.

“I suppose that answers the question of whether he’d get powers or not,” Steven’s father had said, clapping his son on the shoulder, and his mom had huffed and crouched in front of the five-year-old.

“Don’t feel bad about it, Stevie. It didn’t hurt much. How about we go for ice cream instead of cake?” she smiled, and Steven felt better about the mishap.

In the following years, it became known that not only could Steven manipulate metal, but technology in general bowed to his will. He could lay a hand on a malfunctioning computer and instantly know the problem, and sometimes he could even fix it without having to crack open the casing. It wasn’t his father’s ability to speak to and grow plants or his mother’s ability to produce fire at the flick of a wrist, but Steven’s powers were useful in their own way.

When Steven was twelve, he met Anthony Pellegrino, and they were quickly thick as thieves. Anthony’s power was called cryokinesis, which Steven learned meant he could generate and wield ice, the opposite of Steven’s mom. They played over at each other’s houses all the time, caused a fair bit of trouble, and were generally just kids having fun. Kids with wild powers, sure, but kids.

A boy named John Aprigliano was the next to join their little group, and his powerset was amazing. He had classic powers: superstrength, flight, a dose of invulnerability. The only thing was that he constantly doubted himself, since his dad had been one of the most famous heroes in recent history. When compared to the man who’d sacrificed himself to save the world, it was hard not to feel inadequate.

With John came Tom Fawkes, who could actually turn into a fox. Even in human form he had great hearing and sight, but when he was a fox it was like he was on another plane of existence. He also knew everything going on with anyone at any given time. No one was quite sure if that was part of his powerset or if it was just him.

“So Tom,” Anthony started at lunch one day, grinning in a mischievous way, “you got the scoop on Mr. Silent over there in the corner?”

Tom had frowned, knowing exactly who Anthony was asking about, but not why he was asking. “Why do you want to know, Mr. Freeze?”

Anthony widened his eyes and dropped his smile, trying to adopt an innocent demeanor. “I just want to get to know our classmates better, and it’s hard to do that when they never talk.”

Steven could see Tom weighing out the pros and cons of telling Anthony anything in his head, and the way he leaned forward once he’d made his decision. “There’s not much I’ll tell you. His name is Anthony Ludo, people call him Ludo, and there’s a good reason why he doesn’t talk much. That’s all I’m gonna let you in on. Maybe you should try going and asking him yourself, if you’re so curious.”

Anthony scowled. “Whatever. I’ll ask around more.” Tom sighed at him, as did Steven, and Anthony just rolled his eyes and ate his lunch. John joined them shortly, and then it was just like every other lunch: Anthony and John bickering back and forth, Steven and Tom looking on in amusement, and occasional peals of laughter from all parties.

Although Anthony was a sneaky troublemaker, nobody actually expected him to turn out to be a villain. They should have.

 

\- - -

 

Viking traces the “Z” on his chest blindly, wondering what time it is and if Smarticus has noticed he’s missing yet. It hadn’t been on the agenda for Viking to get kidnapped, but he supposes it’s par for the course, since he’s dealing with Chilled Chaos.

At a loss for what to do, Viking tries to find metal again, and once more his search is fruitless. He can’t do anything, can’t even break out of here without powers, which he’s tried a few times. His only hope is that Smarticus and Fawkes will come rescue him. They were supposed to have gone to dinner tonight.

With a sigh, Viking tugs his helmet off and sets it beside him. He tries to get at least marginally comfortable and closes his eyes. Something occurs to him as he’s right on the edge of sleep, and he opens his eyes, sitting up and looking at his helmet. Metal.

He smiles and gets to work.

 

\- - -

 

Anthony scowled up at Steven’s ceiling. It was after school, and they’d decided to come up with their professional names. “Ugh, what should I call myself? Frozen? No, too simple. Frosted? I sound like a cereal. This is hard,” he groaned.

Steven thought for a minute. “How about something like Frozone?”

Anthony looked over at him just so Steven could see him roll his eyes. “That’s a dumb name.”

Steven huffed and went back to thinking about names for himself. If Anthony didn’t want his help, whatever, he had his own superhero name to come up with.

“Dude, I’ve got it!” Anthony said, sitting up. “I’ll be Chilled Chaos!”

Steven wrinkled his nose at his best friend. “That names sounds a little…villain-y.”

Anthony frowned at him. “It’s a great name.”

Steven shrugged. “Whatever, Dr. Evil.”

“At least my name isn’t something stupid about Vikings, like you want yours to be,” Anthony said.

“Shut up, asshole,” Steven said, frowning. “My name won’t sound like I have some evil scheme to freeze the planet.”

Anthony scowled at him, then grabbed his backpack. “I’m gonna go home. See you later, Captain Douchebag.”

Steven rolled his eyes and didn’t watch Anthony leave, a little annoyed, a little concerned that his friend might actually be a villain. He shrugged that thought off, though. Anthony would never be a villain.

 

\- - -

 

Viking closes his eyes and focuses. He envisions the helmet flying through the air, smashing into the wall of his cell. He knows the walls aren’t thick, knows that if he puts enough force behind his helmet it might do the trick. He lets out a breath, lets the helmet fly.

The first hit doesn’t do it, or the second, but third time’s the charm and the helmet makes a hole. Viking bashes his helmet against the hole until it’s just big enough for him to squeeze through, which he quickly does. He hits the ground outside the cell and rolls, grabbing his dented helmet and pushing it back on his head. He sees a piece of the cell wall beside him on the floor, sharp and dangerous-looking, and grabs it, shoving it into a pocket and hoping it has to touch skin to work. Now he has to find Chilled Chaos.

It feels better now that he’s out of the cell, his powers able to stretch and breathe. He casts his senses out, trying to find the familiar feel of his nemesis’s obnoxiously big metal amulet. Chilled Chaos must be out of range, so Viking sets out to find him.

Before he can go anywhere, Galm steps out of the shadows, grinning, and Steven’s blood runs cold.

 

\- - -

 

Anthony Ludo first talked to Chilled Chaos on the very last day of school. “I know you’re planning on being a villain,” he’d said simply, much to Chilled’s surprise.

“Um,” he’d said.

Ludo stared at him unblinkingly. “I want in.”

Chilled frowned, then looked down at the hand extended to him. “What’s your name?” he asked.

Ludo smiled, and something about it unsettled Anthony. “Galm,” he said.

 

\- - -

 

On the ground below the flying fortress, Smarticus and Fawkes stare up at the emblazoned “SS” on it. Anthony always did have a flair for the dramatic, prone to hubris and arrogance. They know Steven would never miss out on dinner without telling them first, and that Chilled Chaos is probably the only villain who’d kidnap Viking.

Smarticus extends an arm towards Tom, who seamlessly shifts into his weird, glowy fox form and leaps up to John’s arm, scrambling to rest on his shoulder.

“Hold on, Fawkes,” Smarticus says, and takes a running start before pushing off into the air.

Smarticus and Fawkes find Viking pretty easily, all things considered. They’d expected they’d have to find the brig, figure out a way to free him, then either take care of Supervillain Squared or sneak back out. They hadn’t expected that Steven would break out and go on the warpath, but the squealing of metal and the absence of lights make it obvious that he isn’t playing around.

“Viking,” Smarticus says when they manage to locate their friend, Tom’s glow lighting their way, “the fuck are you doing?”

Steven turns around, but his eyes aren’t right. Green light pulses from them and he doesn’t seem like he sees Smarticus and Fawkes. “Kill Chilled Chaos,” he says blankly, then turns back around and heads mechanically towards where, presumably, Chilled is.

Smarticus rushes in front of him, putting out his hands like he’s going to stop Steven from going and killing Anthony by force. Viking pauses, staring straight through Smarticus. “Whoa dude. You can’t go kill Chilled. He was your best friend.”

“Kill Chilled Chaos,” Steven says again, and Smarticus has no clue why that seems to be all he can say.

“Holy shit,” Fawkes says, suddenly a human. “He’s being controlled. I only know one person who can- Ludo’s here. Galm. He’s here somewhere and he’s controlling Viking. We need to find him, get him to stop.”

Smarticus blinks at Tom, and Viking takes advantage of his momentary distraction to push through. Smarticus goes to step in front of him again, but Fawkes stops him, tugging at his arm. “Tom, I have to stop Steven,” John says.

“No, we have to stop Galm. We stop him, we stop Viking. I can’t do it on my own,” Fawkes says, staring at Smarticus and pulling him again. “Steven will stop at nothing right now. We could still convince Ludo to let him free.”

Smarticus glances at Viking, who’s making his way to Chilled Chaos, then turns back to Fawkes. He doesn’t know if letting Steven go is the right decision, if it’s the decision his dad would have made. Tom is looking at him with wide eyes, still trying to take him to find Galm. Tom needs him now. Steven needs him. Even Anthony needs him and damn it, John isn’t going to let some of the most important people he knows down. “Let’s do this,” he says.

 

\- - -

 

“Tony,” Mama said, tears making tracks through the ash and grime on her cheeks. “Leave me, Tony. Leave me.”

“No, no Mama,” he said, clutching onto her hand, trying to figure out a way to get the rebar out of her chest. “Please, Mama.”

“I love you, Tony. Go,” she said, and her grip on his hand was getting weaker, the light in her eyes getting dimmer. She coughed, blood dribbling from her lips. Anthony pressed his hands to the wound, hoping to develop healing powers, anything, something to help her.

A strong arm wound around his midsection. “We have to get you out of here,” a deep, oddly familiar voice said, and then Anthony was being lifted into the air, away from his mother.

“No! Mama!” he cried, struggling against the arm like solid steel holding him. “Help my mother, please! Leave me with her!” His father had always told him that crying was okay, but these tears hurt more than when he’d broken his arm falling out of a tree.

Anthony’s feet hit the ground and he tried to run back into the building, the flames from it licking at the sky itself. A more familiar set of arms was around him, stopping him, pulling him back.

“Tony,” his father said, and Anthony turned around, burying his face in his father’s shirt and letting himself sob like a baby.

“There was nothing I could do,” that deep voice came again, and Anthony craned his head around, blinking through his tears. He needed to see who it was that had dragged him away from his mother. It was Gantron, a semi-famous hero, looking sorry. Anthony felt anger burning in his chest. If Gantron had gotten there sooner, Mama might’ve lived.

“Thank you for giving me my son,” Anthony’s father said quietly, and the boy turned his face back into his father.

In his mind, Anthony swore he would get Gantron back for this. Someday, somehow, Anthony swore it.

 

\- - -

 

When Smarticus and Fawkes find Galm, he’s leaned against a wall like he’s been waiting for them.

“Was wondering when you’d find me,” he says, kicking off of the wall and crossing the room to stand in front of them.

“Stop controlling Viking,” Smarticus says.

Galm raises his eyebrows. “Or what, exactly? You’ll kill me?” Galm laughs, shaking his head. “We both know that heroes don’t kill. Not only that, but if you try to kill me, I’ll just turn you two against each other. Should make for a good show, if nothing else.”

“Why?” Tom asks, frowning at Galm. “Why do you want Chilled dead? He’s your partner.”

Galm’s face morphs into a snarl. “No son of Gantron is any partner of mine,” he says sharply, eyes flashing the same green as Steven’s.

“Gantron? What does Chilled’s dad have to do with anything?” Smarticus frowns, really confused.

Galm clenches his fists. “Everything. Gantron was responsible for the death of my mother. Our apartment complex caught fire, and he showed up too late. I promised myself I would get back at him, make him know what loss felt like.”

“So you’re going to kill Gantron’s son just because he was too late? He wasn’t the reason your mom died,” Tom says.

“He was too late! I told him to leave me with her and he didn’t! I was supposed to die with her, she told me she’d never let anything pull us apart. He couldn’t save her, he didn’t let me stay with her, and he ruined my life,” Galm shouted, eyes bright green in his anger. “Now I’m going to ruin his, and he’ll wish he’d done something different, gotten there sooner, left me with her.”

Smarticus stepped forward. “Killing Anthony isn’t the answer. It won’t bring your mom back. Dude, at least you got to know your parent. My dad died before I was even born and my mom wasn’t ever there for me. I’m sorry that Gantron couldn’t save your mom, I really am, but the answer to death isn’t more death.”

Galm stares at him silently, the harsh glow fading to a more muted one. “I have to,” he finally says. “I’ve planned this my whole life. If I don’t do this, what will I do?”

“Start over,” John says. “Constantly wanting revenge isn’t a way to live your life. Turn to a fresh page. It’s your story, you shouldn’t let others write it for you.”

Galm nods, and the glow fades completely, leaving dark, uncertain eyes. “Okay,” he says. “I’ll try.”

Smarticus and Fawkes, now joined by Galm, head up to where Chilled Chaos and Viking are probably having some technical difficulties.

 

\- - -

 

“I don’t think we can clear you for hero duty,” the sweaty, balding man said apologetically.

Steven frowned. “Why not? I did well in the simulations, I got top grades in all my classes, I want to be a hero. What more do I have to do?”

The man swallowed, pulling out a handkerchief and wiping it across his glistening forehead. “It’s not about your, um, your scores. You performed admirably. It’s, um, it’s you, personally. The, uh, the higher-ups think you’re too dangerous for active duty.”

“What the hell do you mean, ‘too dangerous for active duty’?” Steven pressed his hands into his thighs, warning himself not to get angry. Anger wouldn’t help.

“They, um, well. You killed the villain in a few of your simulations. At HeroTech, we don’t tolerate killings of any kind, especially not by heroes,” he said. He said 'especially’ as 'exspecially,’ which Steven found annoying.

“I do what I have to do. If there’s a tough situation, heroes have to make the tough decisions. You haven’t been out in the field, you haven’t gone through the simulations. You don’t know what it’s like,” Steven said, and he stood. “If HeroTech won’t clear me for my hero license, I’ll go find someone who will.”

The man wiped more sweat away, swallowed again, and stared at the table as Steven left the room.

 

\- - -

 

Steven blinks back into focus. His fist is raised, the skin of his knuckles split and his head hurting like a motherfucker. Chilled Chaos is crouched on the floor in front of him, blood dripping from his nose. Viking lowers his fist, confused.

“You coming back to Earth?” Chilled asks. He wipes at his nose, standing back to his full height. “You were doing the whole green glow-eyed thing that happens when Galm controls people.”

Viking frowns. “You kidnapped me. You were being a real dick, too. I should beat the shit out of you,” he says. His knuckles ache and Anthony’s nose drips again.

Anthony rolls his eyes. “Hello, supervillain. It’s kind of in my job description to kidnap heroes. Will say, though, that breakout was unexpected. I didn’t think it was even possible. I guess I’ll have to reinforce my cells, next time.”

“Next time? There’s not gonna be a next time, Chilled. I’m gonna put you in jail for kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment,” Viking says, and he plans to follow through with it.

“What? Buddy, no you aren’t. For one thing, doesn’t our past friendship mean anything to you? And, and another thing, I won’t let you take me. I don’t wanna go to prison,” Anthony says. He puts out a hand, and a jagged icicle grows out of it.

Viking glares at him. “You kidnapped me. Even if you were my best friend in the past, that kind of nullifies that. It’s cute you think you can stop me.”

An icicle shoots toward him, and Viking acts quickly, ducking and rolling out of the way of another. He calls on something metallic and a pipe bursts open, dumping water all over Chilled. He growls, turning all the water to ice. As it expands, it causes more sections of the pipe to burst, and Viking manipulates the shards, sending them hurtling towards Chilled. The villain sends up a wall of ice, catching the shards before they can get to him. Viking charges around the wall, tackling Chilled to the ground. He reaches a hand out and a section of another pipe comes flying into his open hand. He raises it above his head, planning on hitting Chilled with it, but cold envelopes his arm and he finds that he’s frozen from the shoulder down.

Chilled Chaos takes advantage of Viking’s situation, reversing their positions so he’s straddling Viking’s lower belly. He starts punching him, a thick layer of ice over his knuckles as he punches the shit out of Viking. Barely able to think, Viking feels for something else, and finds Chilled’s amulet. He sends it flying up, pulling on Chilled’s throat and taking him into the air. As Chilled chokes, Viking bashes his frozen arm against the wall until the ice shatters. He turns back to see the villain’s face bright red and drops him on the ground. Viking digs the shard of power-dampening stuff out of his pocket and approaches Chilled.

Anthony gasps in a breath, holds out a hand like he’s going to do something, and then Steven is plunging the shard into his shoulder, away from any vital organs. Smarticus, Fawkes, and Galm rush in just as Anthony screams.

 

\- - -

 

“We don’t know when she’ll wake up,” the doctor said. John nodded. He’d expected that.

John sat in the uncomfortable chair next to the hospital bed. His mother had been in a coma for almost a week, after a night of drinking had turned into drunk driving had turned into an accident on the highway. The other driver had gotten out of the hospital after a day, only having minor wounds.

John didn’t expect her to wake up, not that day, if ever. Even so, he came and sat with her every day, hoping she’d open her eyes, wanting his face to be the first she would see. Maybe she’d give up drinking, see all the hurt she’d caused him, be the mother he’d always hoped she would be.

She didn’t wake up that day. Or the next. Or the day after that. She didn’t wake up.

 

\- - -

 

“We don’t know when his powers will come back, if they ever will,” the doctor says. Steven nods. He’d expected that.

Steven sits in the uncomfortable chair next to the hospital bed. John sits in the armchair tucked in the corner and Tom-the-fox curls up on the ottoman in front of it. Ludo grabs a chair from out in the hall and shuts the door behind himself, taking up a spot on the other side of the bed from Steven. Anthony looks around at all of them, at how every few minutes Steven rolls the shoulder that had been frozen, at how Ludo’s eyes spark green every once in a while, at how John watches Tom’s crackling, glowing form affectionately as he sleeps.

Anthony doesn’t feel like much of a villain anymore. He’s not Chilled Chaos, he doesn’t have powers. Right now, all he has are his friends: his ex-best-friend-turned-nemesis-turned-friend-again who stabbed him and took his powers; Superman who thinks he’s not good enough; a guy who used to be a villain and tried to kill him, but has since turned a new leaf; a guy who spends half his time as a fox. He sure knows how to pick them.

Steven meets his eyes and Anthony smiles. Hesitantly, Steven smiles back, and Anthony wonders if they’ll ever be who they used to be to one another. Even if they can never be as close as they once were, just that smile gives Anthony hope for their future.

 

\- - -

 

“Are you coming or what?” Steven called to Anthony.

As always, Anthony went.


End file.
